Combination protective and utility device for sewing machines



Dec. 28, 1965 A. MICALE 3,225,981

COMBINATION PROTECTIVE AND UTILITY DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 14, 1965 INVENTOR ANGELO M/CAL E ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,225,981 COMBINATION PROTECTIVE AND UTILITY DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Angelo Micale, 995 Nassau St., North Brunswick, NJ. Filed Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 323,634 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-109) This invention relates to a combination protective and utility device for sewing machines.

When the needle bar of a sewing machine is oiled, as it must be periodically, and the machine is started, oil is splashed up and out of the oil holes provided for oiling.

The splashed oil soils goods being sewed and some of it falls on the operator. The present device prevents the splashing.

Pieces of material to be sewed together, such as garments parts, are pinned together preparatory to sewing, which pins are removed before sewing. To keep the sewing machine table clear for goods, it is the practice of operators to tie a rag around the head of the machine and stick the pins in it, and needles also, a supply of the latter being needed to replace broken or point-dulled needles. The present device, especially due to its position and its construction as a splash preventer, serves also as a cushion for the pins and needles, thus having a dual function.

The drawings illustrate the invention, and in these:

FIGS. 1 through 4 show one form of the device and FIGS. 4 through 8 show a modification, and FIG. 9 shows the placement of either form on the head of a sewing machine.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively plan, side and bottom plan views of one form of the device;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively plan, side and bottom plan views of an alternative form of the device, FIG. 6 being partly in section;

FIG. 8 is a section on line 88 of FIG. and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the top portion of the head of a sewing machine in combination with the device shown in FIGS. 14 thereon and attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description thereof, and at first to FIGS. 1-4, the device comprises a cushion 10 of absorbent material, which is also preferably resilient, and a holder 12 therefor, the holder having means whereby it may be attached to a stationary part of the machine. The cushion is adapted to absorb oil and to receive and hold pins and needles. The holder comprises a round bottom 14 which has a central, circular, oil-admitting opening 15, through which splashed oil may strike cushion and be absorbed by it. An upstanding flange 17 rises from the bottom 14 and has spaced round openings 19 therearound (FIG. 2). Extending inwardly from the upper edge of the upstanding flange 14 is an inwardly extending, annular cushion-retaining flange 20 (FIGS. 1 and 4), which has a series of round holes 22. Extending radially from the holder proper is a projection 24, which has a counterbored round hole 25 extending therethrough from top to bottom and adapted to receive a stationary or fixed part of a sewing machine. The projection also has a threaded hole 27 in one side and running to the hole 25 to receive a tightening screw 29. The margin of the cushion is pressed under the retaining flange 20 and is thereby held in place, the main part of the cushion being 3,225,981 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 ice above the holder. The various holes 17 and 19 are provided so that needles of different sizes may be put through diflerent holes to penetrate the cushion, while pins may be put into its central portion.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, which show a modified form of cushion and holder, the cushion 35 is set in a holder 36. The latter comprises a bottom 37, punched to have several internal, oil-admitting round holes 39 and a plurality of peripheral, curved, open apertures 41. Integral with the bottom, and between the open apertures 41, are projections or fingers 43; these are bent upwardly and inwardly to press into the cushion and hold it in place. The bottom is mostly of circular form, but at one side (FIGS. 5 and 7) it has a peripheral arc of slightly greater radius, and at the same side it has a round hole 46 to receive a fixed part of the sewing machine to which it may be fastened by a thumb screw 48. This screw threadedly engages an internally threaded hole 50 which runs from the periphery into hole 46. Th cushion 35 is securely held to the holder by a central pin 52 which is threaded into the bottom of the holder.

Referring to FIG. 9, the head 55 of a sewing machine has oil holes 56 by which the sewing machine is oiled, which holes reach the top of the head of the machine. The needle bar 60 of the sewing machine fits within a bore 62 which also reaches the top of the machine, said bore being utilized to oil the needle bar. The cushion 12 is shown covering the oil holes 56 and bore 62 to prevent splashing when the machine is started. Splashed oil passes through aperture 15 in the cushion holder and is absorbed by the absorbent cushion 10. The cushion holder is shown attached to the cap screw 58 of the foot bar, which cap screw regulates the pressure of the usual spring which presses down on the foot bar, the cap screw passing through the vertical hole 25. Screw 29 tightens the holder against cap screw, the position of the latter varying relative to the holder as it is screwed up or down on the foot bar spring.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sewing machine having a frame, a needle bar, said frame having a hole for oiling said needle bar, an attachment comprising a cushion adapted to absorb oil and to hold pins and needles, a holder in which the cushion rests, said holder including a bottom having an aperture formed therein to allow splashed oil to rise through said hole to reach the cushion, an upstanding flange rising from the peripheral edge of the bottom, a cushion-retaining annular flange extending inwardly from the top of the upright flange, the peripheral margin of the cushion compressed between the bottom and the annular flange, and releasable means on said holder for securing the holder to a fixed part of a sewing machine.

2. The sewing machine attachment of claim 1 wherein there are openings in at least one of the flanges for the insertion of needles or pins therethrough into the cushion.

3. In a sewing machine having a frame, a needle bar, said frame having a hole for oiling said needle bar, an attachment comprising a cushion adapted to absorb oil and to hold pins and needles, a holder, said holder comprising a bottom on which said cushion rests having at least one aperture formed therein to allow splashed oil to pass therethrough to reach the cushion, means rising from the bottom and retaining the cushion at its periphery, and clamping means integral with said holder adapted to attach said holder to a sewing machine.

UNITED References Cited by the Examiner STATES PATENTS 5 Earle 223-109 X Burkhart.

Alden 223-409 X Wilmerling 223109 X 10 Rosenthal 233108 Gressner 233108 Ryder 233-109 Goosman 112--256 Goertz 223-109 Stadub 112--261 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, G. H. KRIZMANICH,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A FRAME, A NEEDLE BAR, SAID FRAME HAVING A HOLE FOR OILING SAID NEEDLE BAR, AN ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A CUSHION ADAPTED TO ABSORB OIL AND TO HOLD PINS AND NEEDLES, A HOLDER IN WHICH THE CUSHION RESTS, SAID HOLDER INCLUDING A BOTTOM HAVING AN APERTURE FORMED THEREIN TO ALLOW SPLASHEDA OIL TO RISE THROUGH SAID HOLE TO REACH THE CUSHION, AN UPSTANDING FLANGE RISING FROM THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE BOTTOM, A CUSHION-RETAINING ANNULAR FLANGE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF THE UPRIGHT FLANGE, THE PERIPHERAL MARGIN OF THE CUSHION COMPRESSED BETWEEN THE BOTTOM AND THE ANNULAR FLANGE, AND RELEASABLE MEANS ON SAID HOLDER FOR SECURING THE HOLDER TO A FIXED PART OF A SEWING MACHINE. 